Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Kuttanad Package to get Rs.1,000 crore this year

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government will earmark Rs.1,000 crore for the Kuttanad Package in the revised Budget for the current year. It will also chart out a comprehensive plan to clean up the polluted Vembanad Lake. The decisions were taken at a meeting of the Kuttanad Prosperity Council chaired by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here on Wednesday.

Briefing the media on the deliberations of the Council, Minister for Water Resources P.J. Joseph said the Council felt that the full Package of Rs.3,500 crore could be implemented in three years. So, the State government would make an initial budget provision of Rs.1,000 crore. Of this, 75 per cent was to be reimbursed by the Union government. The proposals would now go before the Cabinet.

The Minister said a technical committee would be asked to prepare a report on revival of the A.C. Canal in one month. A delegation headed by the Chief Minister would go to Delhi to represent on amendments to the existing proposals regarding the construction of bunds for the polders. The government preferred pile and slab work over masonry.

He said the Rice Research Centre of Kerala Agricultural University had developed a new variety of rice named ‘Pratyasa' suitable for Kuttanad under the Package. The high-yielding variety had better tolerance of salinity and shorter maturity period.

New rice mill

Agriculture Minister K.P. Mohanan, who was also present, said a new rice mill and godown to stock rice would be commissioned in Kuttanand under the Package. Rice produced there would be marketed as a brand. The Chengannur hatchery would be expanded and the Niranam duck farm would be strengthened.

Mr. Joseph said the combined harvesters purchased under the Package for Kuttanand had been found unsuitable for the terrain. So, they would be sent to Palakkad and 150 new harvesters purchased for Kuttanad.

He said an expert body would be asked to study and submit a project to reduce pollution in Kuttanad. The Pamba, Achancoil, Manimala, Muvattupuzha and Meenachil rivers would also have to be protected from pollution.

Additional Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar said it would not be difficult to get Central grants to clean up the backwaters as the Lake had been declared a Ramsagar site. It would be the first time that a plan for de-polluting the Lake is considered. The Council would meet again after one-and-a-half months to review progress in implementing the Package.

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